


Forest Home

by awoofgyu (negiramen)



Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: A/B/O, Eventual Romance, Fluff, M/M, Timeskips, alpha sunggyu, cute pups growing up, slowburn, sunggyu being a dad/mom, vet myungsoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 00:40:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7955335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/negiramen/pseuds/awoofgyu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sunggyu always lived alone in the forest but then he stumbles upon six abandoned cubs and his life changes~</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are welcome :)

 

 

 

It was supposed to be a short run, just to let his wolf roam free and maybe hunt down something to eat. Sunggyu found something else instead. His ears caught weak, high-pitched whines when he was running through the nearby woods. He immediately stood still and listened. It sounded like cubs calling for help. Sunggyu pondered about ignoring the noise and going the other way, but his curiosity (and worry) won in the end. The alpha headed into the direction of the cries. He needed a few minutes, but then he found their location. They were in a hollow space beneath a big tree - a small den that had obviously been created by someone else. Sunggyu stuck his head and upper body inside to catch a glimpse of them. It was dark since he was blocking the only source of light but his other senses helped him. Six pups were huddled together in the den, shivering and whining miserably. They couldn’t phrase words yet but Sunggyu could effortlessly understand they were hungry and cold.

 

He sniffed their fur but there was barely any scent on them. Cubs didn’t develop their own scent until they were around a year old. Usually they smelled like their mother until then. There was a faint trace of another wolf hanging in the air but it was very weak. Where had the mother gone too without leaving her children protected and warm? She hadn’t fed or scent-marked them, but Sunggyu doubted the cubs were more than a day old. They were so tiny and helpless it broke his heart. As an alpha, he was naturally protective of the weaker, especially small cubs. The little ones noticed his presence and yipped in fear.

 

_Where is your mother?_ Sunggyu thought to himself. He pulled his head out of the small hole and looked around once more. No sign of a desperate mother coming to save her pups.  _Did she abandon them?_  His heart clenched in worry. Sunggyu threw a glance to the entrance of the den where the pups were still calling out for their mother.  _Who would have the heart to leave their newly born litter behind?_  He had left his old pack long ago but Sunggyu was sure that an act like that was punishable by death in some packs. Other packs exiled the mother when she committed such a crime.

 

Sunggyu searched the area nearby for a trace of the mother, always sticking close enough to have an eye on the tree. He was sure that he caught the mother’s scent to the east, but Sunggyu was reluctant to leave the cubs completely alone. There were other predators in this forest, some who wouldn’t hesitant to slaughter a helpless pup. They would be an easy prey, blind and deaf as they were. Sunggyu sighed. He was hungry too and needed something to eat, but he didn’t have the heart to turn around and leave.

 

The wolf headed back to the den and laid down in front of it. He put his head on his paws and waited. At least his body would cover the hole and keep the warmth in for a while. Sunggyu waited for the mother but hour after hour passed without a sign of her. He was growing restless as the sun started to disappear behind the trees. The temperature was falling slowly but surely as well. Sunggyu really wanted to get back to his hut to eat and rest. He wasn’t used to staying in his wolf form for so long and was itching to shift, but at least it was warmer with the fur protecting him.

 

The pups continued to whine and whimper. Sunggyu wished he could offer them something to eat but he wasn’t an omega. He could not feed them milk and they were too young to eat a rabbit or other solid food. He was worried the little ones weren’t going to survive the night. Gaia only knew for how long they had already been like this. How long could pups survive without milk or warmth?

 

When it got dark outside, Sunggyu reluctantly retreated into the den. A wolf smaller than him had clearly made the hole but he managed to squeeze inside. He was careful not to squish the pups as he settled himself in the small den. He curled around them and the pups’ whines got a little quieter. They blindly moved towards his body to steal some his warmth. They even tried to find teats on his lower body but there was nothing to find after all.

 

_Sorry, guys, I’m not your mom._  He only had warmth to offer them and hoped it would be enough to get them through the night.  _You won’t die on me, right? I’m sure your mother will return soon, so hold on a little longer. She would be sad if she found you dead._

 

 

 

 

The next morning, there was still no sign of their mother. The cubs had survived the night, sleeping through their hunger for a few hours. Sunggyu had been unable to fall asleep when the den had grown quiet. He had constantly checked if the pups were still breathing, leaving him with no time to sleep. The alpha moved carefully as to not wake the pups and climbed out the hole again. They were quiet now that they were sleeping and that meant the chances of a predator finding them was smaller. Sunggyu still felt reluctant to leave them but he really needed to find the mother. There was no better time than now, although he didn’t expect to find her.

 

He ran through the forest, following the faint trace of the pups’ mother. Sunggyu was close to giving up and turning back when he found her. Or rather, he found her dead body. His heart sank at the sight of her lifeless form. Her white coat was stained with blood. Sunggyu had half-expected this but it still pained him. The only reasons for a mother to leave her child were death or abandonment. He shortly wondered why she was so far away from the den. Had she fled and died on the run, or had she tried to hunt and fallen prey to another animal instead? But there weren’t a lot of animals who could kill a full-grown were – except for other wolves.

 

Sunggyu hesitated.  _What now_?  _The pups still need to feed or they’ll die._  He had a sudden idea. The alpha felt nauseated but walked closer. He slightly turned her to bring her teats to light. Sunggyu felt bad for violating her corpse but he needed to know if she still had milk in there. He used his paws to check and, with a mix of repulsion and relief, noticed a white substance dripping out.  _She’s their mother. It’s okay, right?_

 

He seized her by the scruff and dragged her along, back to the den where her cubs were dying.  _The end justifies the means_ , he told himself as he moved.  Sunggyu tried not to think about what he was doing too much. If he still had a pack, he would get another omega or female beta to feed them, but Sunggyu had no one. As far as he knew there wasn’t any pack nearby either – the exact reason he had picked this place.

 

The way back took much longer because the mother’s body slowed him down. He wasn’t sure how much time passed before he reached the clearing with the tree. Sunggyu dropped the corpse in shock when his eyes discovered a fox’s tail looking out of the den. Rage filled him and the wolf closed the distance between them. Just then the fox pulled out, an unmoving pup between its teeth. Alarmed by Sunggyu’s presence, the fox turned to run away but the wolf wasn’t slow and surely not forgiving. He had him before he could disappear into the undergrowth. Sunggyu grabbed him with his teeth and hurled him through the air. The fox yipped in pain before its body grew lifeless. The alpha tore at its flesh, both angry and hungry at the same time. Instead of eating it, he tossed the corpse away with a low grow. Sunggyu looked at the little pup on the ground. He nudged it with his muzzle but it was dead already. It was hard to say if the fox or the hunger and cold had killed it.

 

With a heavy heart, he picked up the small body and brought it back to the den. He dropped it next to the entrance. The little pup would get a proper burial. It deserved a peaceful rest and not wild animals tearing at its lifeless body. Sunggyu looked into the hole while holding his breath. He was scared of what he would see, but the other five cubs seemed to be alive still. He nudged each of them, even licking over their fur to wake them up. They moved slowly and without coordination, whining again when they noticed someone had arrived. Sunggyu pulled them out one after another and sat them down onto the ground. Afterwards, he dragged the mother’s body over and pushed the pups to her lower body. Instincts told them what to do, to Sunggyu’s utmost relief. He shortly wondered if milk from a dead wolf was even good for them, but he pushed the thought aside. It was better than nothing at all.

 

As the five siblings fed, Sunggyu observed them carefully. None of them seemed to have the same coat. One was pure white like the mother, only a small trace of black at the end of its tail and on its left front paw. Another one was entirely black, except for the white fur around his snout. The other three reminded him a bit of cows with their spotted black and white look. From the colors of their coat, Sunggyu could guess their father had to have black fur. Not much of a lead when it came to finding their father.

 

Sunggyu dug a hole with his claws after he was done observing them. He made it deep enough so that predators wouldn’t dig the poor pup out again. Sunggyu covered it with soil again when he was done. He sent a silent prayer to Gaia, asking her to look after the little one who hadn’t even gotten a chance to discover their wide world. He wasn’t sure about the mother, but Sunggyu asked Gaia to judge her accordingly to what was in her heart. The wolves’ Goddess was gentle and caring, but she judged those hard who didn’t treat life with respect.

 

The cubs started whining again when they were done. Sunggyu guessed there hadn’t been much milk to drink, so they were probably still hungry. He thought about his next steps. The pups could definitely not stay here. Another predator would come as soon as Sunggyu left. It wasn’t exactly wise to walk around the forest in his human form, but there was no other way for him to carry all five pups at the same time. The alpha shifted back and looked down at the whimpering pups.

 

“Let’s get you somewhere safe and warm,  _hm_? And then I will try to find some solution to your never-ending hunger.”

 

Sunggyu picked them up one after another. They tried to struggle but they were too weak and helpless to fight him. When he had managed to position all five in his arms, Sunggyu said farewell to their dead sibling and carried them off. There was no use waiting for the pups’ father to appear. He knew that now.

 

 

 

The walk to the hut took almost an hour on his two legs. Once he arrived there, Sunggyu put the cubs down on the carpet. He grabbed the clothes he had left behind on the couch and dressed quickly. The pups continued to whine and move around, trying to get somewhere on their weak legs. “Don’t be so impatient, guys. I can’t drive to town without clothes on.”

 

Sunggyu didn’t use his car very often. He had it for emergencies and sometimes he went to town to buy some groceries. This was definitely an emergency. Sunggyu cursed himself for not having a telephone but the car would have to do. Not like he could give anyone the address of his hut. He was living in the middle of nowhere. The man walked around the hut to look for a way to transport the pups quicker. He quickly emptied a box of supplies by turning it upside-down, not caring if something broke in the process. Sunggyu put a blanket into it and then brought it over to the cubs. He placed them in the box one after another. Afterwards, he carried to box to his old car. He put the box behind his seat and then sat down.

 

“Hold on for a while longer, okay? The drive to town takes a while but there will be someone able to help you.” Sunggyu promised them as he turned on the engine. He didn’t like going to town because the people were scared of weres, but there was no other way. He’d just to have act completely human for a while.

 

 

 

 

There was a reason Sunggyu was living so far away from another pack. Normally, all weres lived in packs like normal wolves. Sunggyu had had a pack until six years ago. The son of the chief had attacked him in the forest and tried to turn him into an omega. Something Sunggyu had punished him for with a quick death. It had been more of an impulsive reaction and, legally speaking, it had been his right, but the pack saw it differently. There weren’t any witnesses to support Sunggyu’s version of the story, so the chief decided Sunggyu had killed his son deliberately with the goal of being the next pack leader instead. They decided to execute him but Sunggyu escaped the night before. He never turned back and ran until he was sure they would not find them anymore. It had been dishonorable to run but Sunggyu hadn’t wanted to die for a crime he didn’t commit. It had been self-defense.

 

His experience with the pack had made Sunggyu shy away from finding another pack. Not many packs welcomed strangers in general, especially alpha ones. It didn’t bother him to live alone. At the start Sunggyu had missed the busy pack life around him and all of his friends and family, most of which had supported him throughout the whole ordeal. He never asked them to come with them in fear of what would happen to them all if they got caught. Now Sunggyu was fine with the solitude. He liked it now and didn’t really feel the urge to find a pack.

 

But now his life in solitude seemed to be over, at least for now.

 

 

 

 

Sunggyu parked the car behind the veterinarian clinic. He got out and grabbed the box with the quiet pups. The man checked on all of them in worry but they were still alive. Weak and barely breathing but alive. Sunggyu hurried into the clinic. The lady behind the reception desk gave him a curious look. “How can I help you?”

 

“I’ve found these pups in the forest during a walk. Their mother seems to have been killed by a wild animal.” Sunggyu explained swiftly and she looked into the box.

 

He was worried she would tell him to gently fuck off but instead her hard expression softened. “Oh my! They are so little.”

 

“They really need something to eat. Can you-?”

 

“Yes, yes, of course. The doctor will see you immediately. Go to the examination room 2 and wait there.” She told him and got up from her chair to get the vet. The other people waiting nearby either huffed in annoyance or gave the box worried looks.

 

Sunggyu ignored them all and carried the box into the examination room.  He put it on the table and stroked their fragile bodies as he waited for the vet. The cubs nuzzled against his fingers with weak whines and his heart ached painfully. The little ones were yearning for affection and their parents should’ve been here instead of Sunggyu.

 

The door to the examination room opened again and a tall man in a white coat entered the room. “Do you know when the last time they fed was?”

 

The young man didn’t even look at Sunggyu as he asked the question and immediately went for the pups instead. The alpha tensed as the man grabbed a pup but he told himself to stay calm.  _He’s going to help them. Don’t growl at him._  “This morning. They fed for a bit from their mother... She was already dead, so I don’t know-“

 

“They’re approximately two days old.” The vet interrupted him. “Obviously haven’t eaten much since their birth. It’s a wonder they are still alive.”

 

Sunggyu watched him walk around with the pup limply lying in his palm. He opened the fridge and grabbed a small bottle from it. “Further questioning can wait until they’re fed. You do have money to pay for their treatment, do you?”

 

He nodded quickly. Sunggyu had a bit of money from the times he had sold wooden carvings or meat in town. “Can they survive?”

 

“Hard to say. They’re underweight and that fact combined with their age...” The vet didn’t end his sentence. “But I’m not one to leave little pups to die. I’ll do my best.”

 

The other man placed the pup on a table and grabbed a syringe. He filled it with the liquid inside the bottle and then took another syringe to do the same. “It’s formula. We usually use it for pups who don’t get enough milk. Grab a pup. It’s not that hard to feed them.”

 

The vet pulled a rubber nipple over one end of the syringe and then put them under warm water. Sunggyu carefully grabbed another pup from the box. It was quivering in his palm and the alpha held it against his chest protectively. “ _Ssh_ , I’ve got you.”

 

“Here’s the syringe. You do know which end goes into its mouth, right?” Sunggyu rolled his eyes and grabbed the syringe. “If it’s not drinking, push the plunger in. If it’s drinking too quickly, slow the plunger down with your fingers.”

 

Sunggyu huffed.  _I’m not dumb, okay._  He carefully brought the nipple to the pups’ mouth. It didn’t react at first but when some milk touched its snout, the pup opened its mouth. Sunggyu gently pushed the nipple inside and it started sucking. He watched in awe, feeling both touched and happy. Seeing the pup feed made his chest feel warm. The alpha glanced over to the vet to check on pup #2. It seemed to be drinking the milk as well.  _Good._

 

 

 

 

It took them a while until all five pups were fed. Now they were safely huddled together in the box again. The vet offered to give them shots as well but Sunggyu declined the offer. Those injections were for normal dogs and their pups. A werewolf pup didn’t need something like that. It might even be harmful to them for all Sunggyu knew.

 

“I’d like to keep the pups here for a few days to watch them. They need to eat every few hours and they’re still weak.”

 

Sunggyu pursed his lips. Could he trust that human? His kind wasn’t very nice towards (were)wolves. “Can’t I take them home with me? Just give me instructions on how much they need and when.”

 

The vet gave him a long look. “At least let me check on them from time to time. They’ll need a lot of care to make it through this week and the next. It’s not easy to take care of five pups at the same time.”

 

“I don’t live in town, so I doubt you want to travel all the way to my hut to check on some pups that aren’t yours. My hut’s on the mountain, in the middle of the forest.” Sunggyu hoped that would be enough to get the vet to give up. If the man hadn’t noticed it yet, he would notice later that the pups were wolf cubs. It was too dangerous. The alpha grabbed his box protectively and turned to leave.

 

“I know what you are. What  _they_  are.” The other man suddenly said.

 

He stopped in his tracks and turned around. Sunggyu narrowed his eyes at the other. His fingers tightened around the box. “I don’t know what you’re talking about but I should go. Thank you for your help.”

 

“Don’t feel threatened. I mean no harm.” The vet said and approached him with a smile, but Sunggyu growled lowly. He stopped walking. “I don’t see werewolves as a threat. The village I grew up in was close to a werewolf pack and we all lived in peace. I’m just worried about the cubs, I swear.”

 

Sunggyu couldn’t feel any malice coming from the other man but he was always careful. Now he had five more lives to protect, so he was even more cautious. “I’ll drop by if anything happens.”

 

He wasn’t going to promise more than that. The vet nodded. He held out a hand to Sunggyu and the alpha noticed he was holding one of the syringes. “Take that with you. You can buy the formula at the pet store nearby. Krystal will tell you the total cost of today’s treatment. I’m Myungsoo by the way. Kim Myungsoo.”

 

Sunggyu had no hand free to take the syringe and the vet seemed to notice it as well. He was obviously flustered by his mistake and carefully put the syringe into the box. The alpha pursed his lips. “Sunggyu.”

 

Myungsoo gave him a confused look but the alpha was already leaving the examination room. Sunggyu walked to the reception desk and put the box down shortly to pay for the treatment. It was quite expensive for someone who didn’t have a steady income. It was better than the cubs dying though. Krystal printed out a schedule for him that showed when he was supposed to feed the pups and how much they’d need. The amount of milk they would need in the next weeks made Sunggyu’s stomach clench.  _How am I going to afford this?_

 

“The things I do for cubs that aren’t mine.”, he muttered as he carried the box to the car.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

About two hours later, Sunggyu was back at his hut with the little ones. It was already time to feed them again and the cubs were very vocal about that. They blindly flailed around on the carpet while Sunggyu prepared the milk for them. He had created a fence of pillows around them to make sure they didn’t roll into the fireplace. Feeding all five of them by himself was quite the struggle but it seemed all worth it whenever a satiated cub curled into a ball on his lap. Sunggyu didn’t have the heart to take them away from his lap. They seemed to like his warmth and it made the content pups fall asleep.

 

After the feeding was finished, Sunggyu was quite exhausted as well. He decided to take a nap too. He gently lowered the pups into their ‘nest’ and shifted before joining them. It was warm nearby the fireplace but the cubs still blindly inched closer to Sunggyu. He normally didn’t sleep in his wolf form but it felt good like this. Sunggyu affectionately licked over their small bodies and the cubs settled down in peace. It wasn’t bad like that, Sunggyu decided. Having company felt good after all those years.

 

 

 

 

The next two weeks were busy for him. Sunggyu was either feeding the cubs, sleeping with them nearby the fireplace or out to hunt for his own meals. Whenever he left, he made sure the cubs were sleeping in their little nest. They had recovered quite well from their rough start, at least as far as Sunggyu could tell. Their eyes were almost completely open now and they were just starting to navigate their way around on four legs. Sunggyu had to be extra careful because of that. The older the cubs got, the more they’d be able to run around and escape their little ‘prison’. But of course the alpha was also excited to see them stand up and walk on their own. Their steps were still wobbly and without any coordination but they were learning from him very quickly. Sunggyu spent more time than ever in his wolf form to help them with their development. Five pairs of eyes were always watching him at every waking minute and it would be easier for them to learn from him when he was a wolf like them. They would not shift until they were a year old.

 

The first time one of the cubs stood up and walked after him, Sunggyu first felt the pride of a parent. They weren’t  _his_  but Sunggyu could understand parents better now. It was a great feeling to see the little ones grow up. The alpha helped the cub up whenever it fell to the side and soon its siblings were following their brother’s example. Whenever they moved around, their favorite destination seemed to be Sunggyu. They followed him around wherever he went, at least whenever he didn’t place them into the nest that they couldn’t get out from – yet. Such actions usually resulted in whines of protest and loud yowling until he returned to their side.

 

Sunggyu knew it was probably not too late yet to give the cubs to someone else. He’d just need to find a pack that was willing to raise pups that weren’t theirs. He knew  _if_  he wanted to give the pups away, it would have to be soon. The sooner they went separate ways, the quicker the little ones were going to forget about him. But Sunggyu didn’t want to give them to someone else. He had started to think of them as his. As much as the cubs had bonded with him, it was true the other way around as well. Sunggyu didn’t understand how anyone would have the heart to abandon these innocent, cute creatures.

 

As the little pups snuggled closer to him with quiet whines, Sunggyu watched them lovingly. He had only watched over them for a few weeks but he understood omegas now; especially why even male omegas loved being the mother. There was something special and sacred about this – small creatures depending on you to protect their fragile lives. Without him, they’d starve or freeze. He wasn’t sure when or why their birth mother had left, but Sunggyu felt like they never had the time to imprint on her. When he had found them, they hadn’t smelled like her at all. As far as he knew, mothers usually washed their cubs right after birth to clean them up but also to make them smell like them. They claimed them as theirs right after birth.

 

Sunggyu wondered about the father of the pups too. Where had he been when she left the little ones alone? Both of them were irresponsible in his eyes and it made him think that both of them never wanted this litter. It happened rarely with wolves but it wasn’t unheard of. Normally the pack shunned those wolves. He heard a weak whine and turned his head. The little one with the black pelt and the white nose was moving restlessly while his siblings had already fallen asleep. Sunggyu hadn’t given them names yet, had been afraid of doing so. He had wanted to keep his distance, just in case they didn’t make it or someone came to take them away. The alpha reached out to lick the pup affectionately. It quieted down and curled deeper into him. Sunggyu felt a strange sense of peace and he dropped his head on his paws again.

 

Once again he wondered if it was a good idea to raise them himself. He didn’t know much about raising cubs. Wouldn’t they be happier with a big pack? Sunggyu’s hut was a safe place but he wouldn’t  _always_  be around to protect them. Whenever he drove to the city to buy formula or other things, they were all alone here. In a pack, there would always be someone watching after them. The alpha glanced at the little bodies huddled up against him. Was it fair to keep them away from pack life because of his own selfishness?

 

**_-Mother-_ **

 

Sunggyu froze. That thought hadn’t come from him. He eyed the cubs in shock but they seemed to be sleeping still. It had been more than a simple word – more like a picture, a very clear feeling – and it had come from one of the cubs. Sunggyu didn’t know how to react. It was more than just a title. ‘Mother’ had a deep meaning to it. He felt a bit burdened by it but not bothered. Alphas weren’t mothers usually but it wasn’t like the cubs cared about alpha, beta or omega. Sunggyu realized that he had been wrong. It was to late to give them away. For the cubs, he was their mother now; an irreplaceable pillar in their lives. That one most important person their tiny lives revolved around. Sunggyu knew by the way that the word had resounded in his mind that they loved him unconditionally like every child loved their mother.

 

And Sunggyu loved them too.

 

 

 

 

“Areum!” The white wolf cub wagged its tail happily and gave him an innocent look.

 

He folded his arms and looked down at her with a serious expression. “Young girl, I’ve been telling you to do your business outside the house.”

 

She padded closer to him and playfully nudged his foot.  ** _-Not me_** ** _-_**

 

“Yes, it was you. Don’t give me those puppy eyes. I caught you pooping right on my carpet.” Sunggyu scolded her firmly. The cubs were now about five weeks old and able to walk around with more ease. They had started ‘talking’ to him more through the bond between them. Real words wouldn’t be spoken until they shifted first. They weren’t technically  _talking_  to him but rather sending pictures or feelings to his mind to tell him things. Sunggyu’s mind was just nice enough to translate the pictures into words.

 

Sunggyu grabbed gloves and a cloth to clean up her poop. He felt a wave of sadness touching his mind and glanced at the white cub. “It’s good you’re regretting your actions but you should learn from it this time.”

 

He heard barks and snarling, so Sunggyu turned his gaze to the source of the noise. Two of the cubs – Howon and Hyuna – were going at it again. They were almost constantly fighting to assert dominance over the other. As the pups grew more conscious, they started to notice there was a ranking in their pack. Sunggyu was the head of their tiny pack, but the other ranks weren’t clear yet, so the cubs kept fighting about it. Some of them, like Areum, didn’t really care, but others like Howon and Hyuna fought to be the number two in the house. He had stopped trying to tell them that there weren’t any ranks in their home. It was a wolf thing that you had to know who was above and beneath you. A pack needed order.

 

“Guys, it’s good as long as you don’t hurt each other, but I’m going to be mad if anyone is bleeding at the end of this.” Sunggyu reminded them. He didn’t have a doubt Howon and Hyuna were going to present as alphas one day. He sighed.

 

He put the poop away and returned to the living room afterwards. “Who wants to go out into the forest with me?”

 

Areum immediately padded over to him, followed by her very eager siblings. Even Howon and Hyuna dropped their fight. In seconds, five very eager cubs stood in front of him with wagging tails. His mind was assaulted with a chaos of pictures (rabbit, flower, tree, grass) and feelings (happy, excited, curious). Sunggyu groaned and blocked the bond. “Control your excitement. You don’t have to show me  _everything._  I can tell you’re happy without you screaming in my head.”

 

It was tough explaining to a pup that they should stop doing something that happened unconsciously. They didn’t even understand yet what they were doing, so they naturally sucked at controlling their emotions. Sunggyu took off his clothes and shifted into his wolf form again. The cubs playfully lunged at him and called for him to play with them. The alpha led them out of the hut and told them to stay near him, although he doubted they were going to listen. They usually stuck to him for a while until something else caught their interest, like a wild rabbit.

 

Sunggyu walked ahead, running at a medium pace to make sure the cubs could keep up. They ran through the forest together, exploring the wilderness that the little ones would roam alone one day. It was his duty to teach them about everything to ensure they’d be able to survive out here. Someday the cubs were going to leave his hut to find mates in another pack or to start their own. Today, their little family met a porcupine on their walk. Sunggyu knew they weren’t to be messed with but the cubs were eager to approach it. The animal felt threatened by them and defended itself accordingly. The pups had just wanted to play with their new friend but once the first quill stung one of them, they scrambled back to Sunggyu with the tails between their legs. He chuckled quietly and barked at the porcupine to make it leave.

 

 **-There are animals you can eat and there are some like this one that you’re better of avoiding. It’s not worth the pain.-**  Sunggyu told the cubs and he was sure they’d remember this lesson.

 

They continued their walk for a while longer until the pups grew tired. Sunggyu led his rascals back to the hut and let them drink their milk. Since their teeth hadn’t developed fully yet, solid food was still out of question. But the alpha had no doubt that they’d be able to hunt with him soon. The pups collapsed on the carpet near the fireplace and contently went to sleep. Although they often fought over who was the “top dog” of the pack, they always ended up sleeping closely together just like the time Sunggyu found them. It was an adorable sight.

 

Sunggyu laid down as well and closed his eyes. Looking after five cubs was quite exhausting and he deserved a little break.

 

 

 

 

The alpha woke up when he heard a branch crack outside the hut. His eyes snapped open and he stood up. Sunggyu looked down at the cubs but they were still sleeping peacefully. Much time couldn’t have passed since it was still day outside. The wolf moved closer to the front door. He could hear something move around outside but Sunggyu’s sharp hearing told him all he needed to know. It was a human who was disturbing their peace. He shifted swiftly and grabbed his clothes. After dressing, Sunggyu got the gun from the cupboard and opened the front door.

 

“Who are you and why are you sneaking around my house?” He shouted in anger.

 

“Oh god, don’t shoot me please!” A scared voice replied. Someone stepped out from behind the trees and Sunggyu lowered the gun when he recognized the other man.

 

“Kim Myungsoo?”

 

“Yes...” The vet nervously glanced at the weapon in Sunggyu’s hands.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“I just- you didn’t drop by again and I was wondering if the pups were still alive. You said you lived on the mountain so I followed the path up here.” Myungsoo fidgeted on the spot.

 

Sunggyu heard noises behind him and turned his head slightly. The cubs were running over to him, Howon and Hyuna leading them while barking. They probably tried to come off threatening to the stranger but Sunggyu just found the sound cute. Who would be scared of them? The cubs gathered around his feet. Howon and Hyuna took position in front of him as if to protect him, which he found all the more endearing. Their siblings weren’t as straightforward. They were clearly more scared than aggressive.

 

“Oh...wow. They’ve grown a lot in five weeks.” The vet seemed genuinely amazed. Of course werewolf cubs developed much quicker when it came to their body size. One day they’d be as big as Sunggyu, at least the alphas.

 

Sunggyu couldn’t help but smile in pride. “Yeah. They’re doing fine as you can see.”

 

Myungsoo smiled as well, though his gaze was still glued to the cubs. The alpha didn’t feel any danger from the other man. He obviously cared for animals, even if they were werewolves. Something slipped out between his legs and he reached out to grab the pup but it was quicker. Jong was running towards the stranger, happily wagging his tail. His siblings followed immediately and Sunggyu only managed to grab Howon.

 

“Guys, be nice.” Sunggyu warned them but the cubs didn’t listen. Thankfully they didn’t really have sharp teeth or claws yet.

 

They gathered around the vet, jumping at his legs or barking. Myungsoo seemed half-scared and half-touched by the cubs. Hyuna viciously ‘attacked’ the tall man’s shoes. Though the damage seemed minimal, it didn’t stop her eagerness. The others were a little less aggressive and seemed more like they wanted to play.

 

Howon struggled to get free but the alpha just took him in his arm and held him against his chest. He walked over to Myungsoo and the cubs. “Now, now, everyone. He helped feeding you when you were starving to death.”

 

Jong and Areum left Myungsoo alone and trotted back to their ‘mother’.  They stood on their hind legs and their front paws scratched Sunggyu’s legs. Their eyes were pleading him to pick them up like their brother.   ** _\- Up! Mother, up!-_**

 

When it seemed like one of them was getting love and attention from their mother all by himself, the cubs would always get jealous. Sometimes Sunggyu had to carry all five in his arms again because no one wanted to be left out. They didn’t get the concept of waiting for their turn and right now they didn’t care how much Howon wanted to get down. They wanted up like their brother. Sunggyu knew they wouldn’t stop begging. He put Howon down and grabbed the other two. Leo came over too and he picked the cub up as well. Howon joined Hyuna in attacking Myungsoo’s sneakers. The vet tried to pet them but they snapped at his fingers and he straightened up again.

 

“Why don’t you come inside?” Sunggyu found himself asking. He wasn’t sure why, maybe because the little ones seemed happy to have someone else around. Finally they had someone else to chew on now. Or maybe Sunggyu was just relieved to have someone else to talk to? Someone who could actually talk.

 

“I-well-sure.” Myungsoo muttered.

 

“Howon, Hyuna, come on inside.” Sunggyu called and walked ahead with Leo, Areum and Jong in his arms. He heard the other two cubs bark and run after him.

 

Myungsoo also followed them into the hut. “Are you living by yourself out here? What about your pack?”

 

Sunggyu shrugged. “I don’t have one. Don’t need it.”

 

He put the three siblings down and the five cubs started chasing each other through the hut. “Do you want something to drink? I only have water though.”

 

The vet nodded shortly and Sunggyu poured him some water into a glass. Myungsoo accepted it with a grateful smile. “Don’t werewolves normally live in packs?”

 

“They do.”

 

“Why are you living alone?” Myungsoo asked curiously.

 

Sunggyu glanced at the cubs shortly to make sure they weren’t killing each other. “You’re awfully curious about me. Didn’t you come to check on the pups?”

 

Myungsoo flushed and the were lifted his brows questioningly. He hadn’t expected that kind of reaction. Did he get red because Sunggyu had caught him lying? Some people sucked at hiding a lie. “I really came to check on them! And I...well, I guess I’m curious about you. I mean about werewolves in general! Not just you! You rarely get a chance to find out more about your kind...”

 

The alpha laughed shortly. Myungsoo’s stuttering was quite amusing. Was he that nervous to be around a were? Something nudged against his ankle and he spotted Areum looking up at him. She whined and Sunggyu smiled softly. It was obvious that she wanted his attention too. He picked up his little girl and let her sit on his lap. Areum immediately calmed down afterwards and contently curled up on his lap. He stroked her fur.

 

“You know, there is a reason we don’t tell humans a lot about our kind. Not all of them are as nice as you. Too much knowledge can become a dangerous weapon against us.  I probably don’t have to tell you how many humans want to see my kind eradicated.”

 

Myungsoo pursed his lips shortly. “I know... I knew you wouldn’t trust me but I just wanted to try. I’ve always been curious about werewolves because of the pack that lived close to my hometown. Although there was peace between us, I never actually got to talk to them much. My mother wasn’t very fond of me making friends with weres. Seeing you and the cubs, and hearing that you live alone in a hut up here...I thought you might need a friend.”

 

Sunggyu attentively listened to the vet’s heartbeat as he spoke. A human’s heartbeat was often an important indicator when it came to spotting a lie. But as far as the alpha could tell, Myungsoo was speaking the truth. He was sweating slightly and his heartbeat wasn’t regularly but Sunggyu could only scent nervousness from him.  “I don’t know if I can trust you any further. You already know where I live and that is dangerous enough. I don’t want some anti-were organization to come up here and threaten our peace. I won’t hesitate to kill anyone who wants to hurt the cubs.”

 

He narrowed his eyes at the vet and Myungsoo swallowed. He quickly raised his hands in defense and shook his head. “I’d never endanger you or the cubs, I swear! I could’ve told people about you already if I had wanted to harm you. But of course if you want me to leave, I can go...”

 

Sunggyu hesitated but then Areum gave a little whine on his lap. She sent him a blurry picture attached to a feeling of safety and warmth. It seemed like she liked Myungsoo.  _Am I supposed to feel jealous now?_  “You can stay a little longer but I don’t trust you yet, so I don’t know if we can be friends. You’ll have to prove yourself.”

 

The vet smiled happily. “Thank you! I won’t disappoint you! If I can do anything to gain your trust, tell me.”

 

Barks got loud and Sunggyu glanced at the four pups to his feet. He grinned. “I have an idea. How about you entertain the cubs for a while? Your first step should be to gain their trust. That way you’ll also see just  _how healthy_  they are.”

 

Myungsoo looked at the pups who were starting to attack his shoes and pants again. Sunggyu knew they wouldn’t hurt him, but they’d give him a challenge and the alpha would have some peace while watching them play with their new toy.

 

“S-Sure...”

 

“We have a deal then.”

 


	3. 3/4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you may have noticed, i decided to make it four instead of five parts, so the next will be the last.

Myungsoo dropped by more often from then on. He was good with the pups and Sunggyu grew to like having the vet around. Whenever Myungsoo watched over the cubs and played with them, he’d have time to rest or hunt. From time to time, they would spend time together and talk about stuff while the cubs slept. Sunggyu didn’t spill all of his kind’s secrets to the other, but Myungsoo was content with even small things. They didn’t always talk about werewolves, sometimes about simple things like the weather, Myungsoo’s clients or the pups. Myungsoo became a good friend that Sunggyu could depend on for help and it felt good to finally have a friend to talk to.

 

The pups seemed to have a love-hate relationship with the vet. Some of them leaned more towards the like side and others towards the dislike side. But most of the time, the cubs only hated Myungsoo whenever Sunggyu paid more attention to him. Sunggyu did notice that, even though they loved playing with Myungsoo, they easily got jealous when the two adults were talking with each other instead. They always wanted to be at the center of Sunggyu’s small world and the alpha felt incredibly touched by their deep love for him. The jealousness was adorable in his eyes.

 

 

 

 

At about eight weeks old, Jong got really sick. Sunggyu spent two days trying to get him to feel better but he was powerless. Jong’s siblings were driving him insane too. They were unbearable because of their brother’s sickness. Sunggyu had to keep them separated because he was afraid that Jong’s disease was contagious and the cubs did not like this  _at all_. They kept whining and whimpering, bothering every waking hour with their noises or the pictures they sent to his head. They led him know at every minute that they hated being separated from their sick brother. It drove him insane to take care of them. On the third day, Sunggyu gave up and drove to the city to ask for Myungsoo’s help.

 

The vet checked on the little cub (well, technically it wasn’t so little anymore) and told Sunggyu that Jong would have to stay with him for a few days. He needed meds against the sickness and it wasn’t going to heal by itself. It would only get worse and eventually kill the pup. Sunggyu was reluctant but he knew better than to reject the offer. He trusted Myungsoo with Jong’s life. Of course the other four cubs were even more insufferable with their sibling miles away in town, but Sunggyu did his best to appease their anger. He was hurting inside too, so he understood their pain all too well. He let the little ones bite him all they wanted.

 

“Your brother will be back soon.” Sunggyu mumbled quietly. Hoya’s teeth were buried in his hand but he stroked the pups’ fur with his other one. The cub growled. “He’ll be fine. Don’t be scared.”

 

 

 

 

Three days later, Myungsoo brought Jong back to them. The pup was back to full health and ran towards its siblings with a waggling tail. The other four met him halfway and the little wolves played around while barking happily. Sunggyu watched them with a warm smile. It felt good to have his family back together. Being apart had pained him just as much.

 

The vet came over to stand next to him. “You’re hurt...”

 

Sunggyu looked at the little wounds and bandages all over his arms and legs. He shrugged and gave the other man a lazy smile. “The cubs were quite angry I left Jong with you. Don’t worry about it. I heal quickly.”

 

“But still...to think they’d bite you for that...” Myungsoo anxiously glanced at the playing pups.

 

“They’re still wild animals deep down, even if they look cute and like to cuddle. They didn’t mean to hurt me, though. They’re not dangerous, so don’t get scared now. The cubs just didn’t know how else to deal with their anger and fear.”

 

“You’re amazing...” The vet smiled. “You’re not even their real father but you’re so patient with them. So understanding. I think it’s really amazing.”

 

Sunggyu laughed shortly. “Oh, believe me I’ve lost my patience a lot of times. I’ve raised my voice against them several times. Sometimes I have to. Pack animals need to know who has which rank in the pack, even if we’re just five people. If they don’t respect me, they won’t follow me. In return for their trust, I take responsibility and protect them. If it means taking their biting...I’ll take it.”

 

“I think you’re more than just a pack leader to them.”

 

**_-Mother-_ **

 

Sunggyu looked away from Myungsoo and saw Jong running over to him. He crouched down to pick him up but then decided otherwise. He stripped himself and Myungsoo stuttered something before turning away to give him some privacy. Sunggyu threw his clothes on the ground and shifted into his wolf form. He nudged Jong with his nose and licked over the cub’s pelt. Sunggyu felt the little wolf’s happiness in his chest. Jong’s siblings ran over to him and he played with his family. They ran out into the forest while barking and howling in joy. Finally they were complete again.

 

It was only two hours later that he remembered Myungsoo. Sunggyu quickly led the pups back to the hut again. The vet was still there, sitting on the porch and waving at them as they came over to him. The cubs went over to Myungsoo to greet him while Sunggyu grabbed his clothes to change. He sat down next to the vet when he was done and stretched his limbs.

 

“Is the sickness gone for good?”

 

The vet nodded. “You should keep an eye on them nevertheless. I doubt any of Jong’s siblings caught the disease because they’re still not showing signs of it, but you never know.”

 

Sunggyu gave him a grateful smile and the younger man blushed before he averted his gaze. The alpha chuckled and leaned in to drop a kiss on Myungsoo’s cheek. The vet’s head snapped around again and he stared at Sunggyu with wide eyes. The cubs barked to their feet, demanding attention as well. Myungsoo’s face went red and he hurriedly stood up. “I-I have to go...”

 

The human fled the scene and Sunggyu frowned. The kiss on the cheek had been sort of an impulsive reaction, a sign of gratitude towards Myungsoo who had healed his sick cub. He thought the younger man would like it but now Sunggyu was simply confused. Had he read Myungsoo’s actions wrongly? The cubs barked at him, shoving their pictures of food into his mind. Sunggyu sighed and glanced at the spot where Myungsoo had disappeared into the forest. Hopefully the younger man wasn’t angry or disgusted.

 

 

 

 

 

To his relief, Myungsoo’s visits didn’t stop. The vet still came over frequently, though no word was uttered about the “incident”. It was summer by the time the human managed to gather his courage and confess to him. The sun was hanging high in the sky and the pups were bathing in the river at that time. Sunggyu and Myungsoo had joined them for a while before they had lazily laid down on the ground nearby. The alpha had his eyes closed when Myungsoo dared to make a move. Of course Sunggyu heard when the younger man moved next to him but he didn’t open his eyes.

 

Lips covered his for a tiny, cautious moment before retreating again. Sunggyu slowly opened his eyes and saw Myungsoo’s flushed face above him. The wet strands of his hair were sticking to his forehead and cheeks from their previous playtime in the river. He seemed to shine somehow, though Sunggyu knew it was just the sun reflecting in the drops of water on his skin. A drop of water fell into Sunggyu’s eye and he blinked.

 

“I-I like you...” Myungsoo stumbled over his words.

 

The alpha had known it for a while but the words still filled him with warmth. For some time he had himself convinced that his own feelings weren’t love; just affection towards his first friend after so many years of solitude.  But Myungsoo was different. As a vet, he was serious and professional, always doing his best to save his patients, even shouting at their owners if he had to. But as Myungsoo the human, he showed Sunggyu another side – careful, loving and shy. Those blushes that Sunggyu was sure were solely for his eyes to witness.

 

Myungsoo ran a hand through his wet locks and nervously licked over his lips. “Don’t just stare... Say something, please.”

 

He wondered if the younger man knew how handsome he looked. Like a water spirit sent to drive Sunggyu insane. He grabbed Myungsoo and pulled him down, before switching their place on the ground. The vet gasped in surprise. He rolled on top of the younger man and lowered his head to kiss the other on the lips. Sunggyu felt the warmth of the sun on his back as they kissed.

 

Barks filled the air and then little teeth were play biting at his unprotected toes. Sunggyu broke the kiss and looked into Myungsoo’s eyes. “Is that answer enough?”

 

The human flushed. “I-I’d like to hear it.”

 

“I like you too, silly.” Sunggyu whispered against his lips.

 

By the time the sun was setting, Myungsoo was curled against him for warmth, his head resting on Sunggyu’s chest. The cubs were dozing off on a stone nearby. “Can this work out? A human and a werewolf.”

 

“Why not?” Was his simple reply and Myungsoo gave him another smile.

 

 

 

 

The next months weren’t much different than the others. Myungsoo came over more often of course. Other things naturally changed since they became a couple. They kissed and cuddled, and sometimes they made love when the pups were fast asleep. The little wolves were taking the changes with mixed feelings. As they were growing older, they became more aware of their surroundings and of course they noticed that Sunggyu and Myungsoo were behaving differently around each other. For a while, they were aggressive towards the human. So much that Sunggyu had been worried about what to do. After two weeks of being unable to touch Myungsoo for even a second, he had snapped and grabbed the pups for a serious talk. It had been more of a one-sided conversation but at the end of it, the little ones had understood their ‘mother’ didn’t need their protection and Myungsoo wasn’t going to take him away either. From then on, the cubs started to slowly accept Myungsoo into their family.

 

 

 

 

It was October when Myungsoo asked if he should move in with them.

 

“What about your clinic?” Sunggyu asked with a light frown.

 

“I have someone who can take over after me. I’ve talked about it with everyone at the clinic. I’d be up here with you and they’d call me if they needed my help.” Myungsoo’s fingers played with his happy trail. Sunggyu wondered if the human did it on purpose to turn his brain into a puddle of water.

 

He hummed. “Won’t you miss the work with the animals?”

 

“There are animals in the forest too. Animals who might need someone to help them.” Myungsoo dropped a kiss on his chest. Sunggyu felt reminded of the day he had saved the litter from certain death. “Most of all, I want to be here with you and the cubs. It takes so much time to travel back and forth.”

 

“It will be different from living in the city. You’ll have to give up a lot.” The alpha warned him. It wasn’t like he doubted Myungsoo. He just didn’t want the younger man to make any hasty decisions that he’d regret later.

 

“I know. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I won’t complain, I swear. Let me stay, Sunggyu.” Myungsoo’s hand wandered lower and the alpha growled deeply. The vet blushed and retracted his hand.

 

He smiled shortly. “As if I’d ever ask of you to leave.”

 

 

 

 

 

Myungsoo did move in a few weeks later. He brought a few things with him from his previous apartment, but most of his stuff was sold beforehand. They packed the money away for later, saving it for the rare times they’d need to buy things in town. Things went well for a while, but Sunggyu eventually noticed Myungsoo’s mood dropping. The human never said anything but he always seemed somewhere between bored and sad whenever Sunggyu took off with the pups in his wolf form. A few times the vet had tried to come along with them but his human legs didn’t carry him as quickly and his endurance wasn’t the best. The alpha knew it was bugging Myungsoo. He’d probably be bored as well.

 

One night, he brought the topic up as he huddled close with Myungsoo in front of the fireplace with a blanket over their shoulders. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

 

Myungsoo looked at him. “What do you mean?”

 

“You seem down lately. Something is bothering you. Do you miss your former life as a vet?”

 

The younger man sighed. “No...it’s not that. I love it here...with you and the cubs. It’s just-“

 

Myungsoo swallowed and hesitated. He looked down at his bare feet. Sunggyu touched the human’s chin and made him look up again. “I want you to be happy. Tell me, Myung.”

 

“I-“ Myungsoo took a deep breath. “I want you to turn me.”

 

Sunggyu almost pushed him away in shock. He tensed and furrowed his brows. “Myungsoo-“  
  
“Why not?” The human cried out. “I know humans can be turned!”

 

“ _Ssh_ , not so loud.” He tried to calm Myungsoo down since the pups were sleeping nearby. “Do you even know what you’re asking of me? Do you know what it means to be a were?”

 

“I know I’ll never fully belong here with you as I am now!” Myungsoo’s eyes glistened in the light of the fire as the tears welled up. “Every time you turn into a wolf and play with them or go out to hunt, I’m left behind. You have a special bond with the cubs because you’re all wolves. I’m not. I’ll never be able to enjoy the forest the same as you guys. I can’t even hear their voices or understand their biological needs beyond what textbooks told me about dogs and wolves.”

 

Sunggyu pulled him closer and rested his chin on Myungsoo’s head. “You belong with us already. The pups love you. Soon they’ll turn and you’ll be able to enjoy their human side. They’ll learn to talk with words.”

 

“But I have no idea about shifting or anything else. What kind of parent can I be when I only understand half of what they really are? I know I said I’d never complain but...I’ll always be the odd one out like this, Sunggyu.”

 

He pursed his lips. “Turning is not as easy as you might think and it’s not something that can ever be undone like moving up here with us. You could still leave and return to a normal human life. If I turned you, there’d be no returning for you. Of course you can learn to hide your wolf from the humans, but you’ll never be able to undo the curse. I’d doom you to this life forever.”

 

Myungsoo shook his head against Sunggyu’s chest. “You wouldn’t doom me. There’s nothing I want more than to be with you forever. Just us seven, forever. I know the change won’t be all butterflies and sunshine. But I want to choose this life.”

 

“Myungsoo...I...I’ll have to think about it. It’s not that I don’t understand what you mean but- turning someone is a serious thing.”

 

“I know. I’ll wait.” The younger man straightened up to kiss Sunggyu. “I’m not going anywhere.”

 

 

 

 

Sunggyu kept the other man waiting for a long time but the human stayed. He wasn’t sure why he was hesitating so much. Maybe because he was testing Myungsoo’s will, or maybe he was just afraid of turning his lover. Turning a human into a werewolf wasn’t exactly common practice, though it still happened in some cases. Sunggyu wasn’t the first were to fall in love with a human and he had heard stories of failed turnings, of the human dying during the process or losing its mind because the wolf overwhelmed the human in them. A werewolf controlled solely by his feral instincts was a danger to everyone. They’d kill anything in sight without hesitation. The usual fate of those creatures was a quick death by the pack. Sunggyu was afraid of losing Myungsoo. Maybe the answer was as easy as that.

 

Inside, he longed to turn Myungsoo into a were. His wolf wanted to dance through the forest with his lover, to chase down a prey together or simply scuffle with Myungsoo. He wanted Myungsoo to be able to defend himself in case anyone ever threatened him. Sunggyu wanted his lover to  _know_ , to truly see and feel, what the world was offering them. Humans were so blind to all the wonders nature gifted them with. And most of all, Sunggyu wanted Myungsoo to stop looking sad. He knew the human sometimes used the excuse of needing to do something at the clinic to just get into the car and drive a bit, before he’d stop the car and just sit in it, crying all by himself. Sunggyu knew because he had followed him once, but he had never said anything to his lover. It was his fault that those tears fell.

 

They lay in bed together, a thick blanket protecting them from the cold. Myungsoo had turned his back to Sunggyu but the alpha knew he wasn’t asleep. “I’m scared.”

 

The human turned around immediately. “Scared of what?”

 

“You dying... You losing your mind. I don’t want to lose you.” Sunggyu reached out to caress the younger man’s cheek.

 

Myungsoo’s eyes softened. “Where is this coming from? You’re not going to lose me.”

 

“I’ll either lose you because you’ll be so unhappy that you leave or I’ll lose you in a try to make you a werewolf.”

  
“I won’t leave, Sunggyu. I’m not unhappy-“

 

“Then why do drive away with your car just to cry in solitude?” He interrupted the other.

 

The human’s eyes widened in shock. “I- I didn’t want to pressure you into turning me. Sometimes I had doubts...that maybe you didn’t want to turn me because you want me to leave. Because you don’t want me to stay forever. Whenever I drove away with my car, no one stopped me and I thought that maybe if I never returned, you guys wouldn’t care-“

 

Myungsoo’s voice broke and Sunggyu pulled the other man closer. He kissed Myungsoo’s cheeks. “Don’t think like that,  _please_. I didn’t stop you because I thought you needed the freedom and I always trusted you to come back. Otherwise I would’ve come looking for you. The cubs always stop playing when you leave and more than often they’ll lie down on the porch and wait for you without moving. Did you never notice how they greet you whenever you return? They might not feel you through a bond but they are not blind to your feelings. But maybe I was blind... I’m sorry I made you think I don’t want you.“

 

“No...it’s not your fault. I should’ve trusted you like you trusted me. I shouldn’t have doubted your love for me.” Myungsoo smiled sadly. “I must’ve been the blind one because I never paid attention to how the cubs welcomed me home each time. I feel like I should apologize to them as well.”

 

“When spring comes...” Sunggyu hesitated but then he gathered his courage. “When spring comes, I’ll turn you if you still wish for it then. I don’t want to do it now. Winter is harsh out here and you will need your strength. The turning will take a great toll on you, so I’d rather to it once the snow’s gone and the temperatures rising.”

 

Myungsoo just stared at him for a moment, speechless and overwhelmed. “Do you really mean that?”

 

Sunggyu kissed him on the lips to seal the deal. “I promise. Will you wait that long?”

 

His lover smiled widely and hugged him tightly. “Silly, I told you I’d wait. Thank you, Sunggyu. I’m so happy.”

 

Sunggyu hugged him back and buried his nose in the curve of Myungsoo’s neck to take a deep breath of the other.  _I hope this decision is the right one. Gaia, please don’t take him from me next spring._  “We’ll see about your thankfulness after the bite. It will be painful, Myungsoo. You might lose your mind from it.”

 

“As long as you’ll be my side, I know I can endure it. I’ll cling to my life with all my might because I have a family to return to.”

 

The bed moved as the cubs suddenly jumped onto it. Sunggyu groaned as they climbed over his body to reach Myungsoo. Areum and Jong pushed between them with their bodies while the other three climbed over Myungsoo as well. They used to be tiny lightweights but now they were quite heavy. Being around 9 months old, they were much bigger than before. Even Sunggyu couldn’t carry more than two anymore.

 

Myungsoo smiled fondly at the pups who settled down close to him. He rolled onto his back and let Jong climb onto his stomach. The cub licked over Myungsoo’s face to express its affection and gratefulness. The others threw their sibling jealous glances but contently curled up against Myungsoo. Sunggyu huffed because he was unable to cuddle with his lover as well. But he knew the cubs only meant well. They probably woke up from their talking and noticed the tense atmosphere, the worry coming from Myungsoo with his scent. Sunggyu quietly watched his family, feeling content enough to see Myungsoo smile again.

 

“How could I doubt their love for me?” The young man whispered. He slowly stroked Jong’s fur, eyes filled with love for the children that weren’t his. But it didn’t matter to Myungsoo, just like it didn’t matter to Sunggyu or the cubs. They were a family.

 

 

 

 

Winter was tough for all of them. The cubs were as active as ever but when the snow got too high, Sunggyu had to keep them inside. The little ones loved playing with the fluffy white stuff, as they called it, but the snow got high enough to swallow them whole. Too much of the cold weather wasn’t good for them either. They were getting close to being a year old but their immune system wasn’t fully developed yet. Constantly dealing with five frustrated and upset pups who wanted to go outside drove Sunggyu insane but Myungsoo was there to anchor him. Together, they made it through the snowy days.

 

 

 

 

The snow had just melted away and the first flowers had bravely sprouted when the pups started to turn. Sunggyu had hoped to change Myungsoo first, but the pups were quicker. One morning, Sunggyu woke up to someone crying loudly and when he checked the noise, he saw one human child between four wolf cubs. He only blinked in confusion at first, his tired mind unable to connect the dots, but then he shouted for his lover. “Myungsoo!”

 

Sunggyu picked the little kid up and checked the other four again to find out which boy he was holding. It seemed to be Howon. The boy stopped crying as Sunggyu held him, staring up at him with wide eyes. They were brown, same as his wolf, and his short hair was as dark as his fur. “You did it, Howon! You shifted. Did it scare you,  _hm_? Or are you cold?”

 

Myungsoo came over to them with a small blanket in his hands. He wrapped it around Howon’s body and Sunggyu gave him a grateful smile. Myungsoo looked at the pup – boy – in awe. “I... It’s so strange to see him in human form. I mean, he’s beautiful, but somehow I had forgotten they’d ever turn. I felt like they’d just be wolf cubs forever. They’re really growing up, aren’t they?”

 

Sunggyu nodded and dropped a kiss on the boy’s crown. There was a strange sense of pride swelling in his chest. Howon had made it through his first change without any help at all. “They’ll become even more of a handful now.”

 

“Da!” Howon shouted and reached out with his hand to touch Sunggyu’s face. The alpha smiled and let the little fingers touch (and pull) at everything in reach.

 

“He’s speaking...” Myungsoo muttered in awe.

 

“Well, they’ll need a while to form actual sentences like any child, but they’ve been observing us well these past months. They know some words already.”

 

The other cubs to their feet started to wake up from the ruckus. Once they were fully awake, they were all focused on Howon. Sunggyu sat down on the floor and let Howon sit between his legs. The boy lost his balance at first but then he instinctively sat up again and held his head with his own strength. His wolf siblings carefully approached him, sniffing Howon and trying to understand what happened. When Hyuna got too close, Howon’s hand was quick enough to grab her ear and pull on it. His sister yelped and Sunggyu quickly loosened Howon’s grip.

 

“Don’t pull your sister’s ear just because you can, Howon.” He scolded the boy, although his voice wasn’t very stern.

 

Howon turned his head to look at him, wide eyes full of curiosity. “Can!”

 

The boy laughed and Sunggyu shrugged when Myungsoo gave him an amused glance. “They learn quickly indeed.”

 

Howon moved in his grip and Sunggyu let him go. The boy dropped to his hands and knees and then proceeded to move forward. He was a little clumsy, torn between standing on his feet or using his knees to move. The blanket was left behind as Howon chased his siblings through the hut. He was slower than them now and the other cubs shamelessly teased him with that fact.

 

They watched them with proud smiles. Myungsoo embraced him. “We need to buy clothes for them now. Howon can’t run around naked all the time.”

 

Sunggyu cursed quietly. “I totally forgot about that...but it wasn’t like we could’ve bought them beforehand. We had no way of knowing how big they’d be after the shift.”

 

Myungsoo nodded. “It’s exciting. We need clothes and probably more food, other food. They need to learn how to walk, how to speak and probably how to turn on purpose? So many things to do...”

 

He could see the human was happier than anyone else about Howon’s first shift. It meant the others would surely turn human soon as well and Myungsoo, as a human, felt happy of course. “Do you still want me to turn you?”

 

Myungsoo looked at him and nodded. He smiled widely. “More than anything.”  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments? :u: awill sunggyu really turn him? how will it turn out? you will find out in the next part!


	4. 4/4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's over :) find out what will happen to myungsooo and sunggyu's love~
> 
> slight warnings for violence/blood - hurt!myung

It was three days later that Hyuna and Leo shifted. Latter turned into his human form when the couple was in the kitchen and almost crawled into the open fireplace, had Howon not shouted “DA!”. Thanks to that Myungsoo stopped Leo in time. The incident reminded them to make the hut more “toddler-proof”. As the three toddlers played with each other, it got obvious to Sunggyu that Hyuna had finally submitted to Howon. The fact that her brother had turned first, had probably secured him the position as the highest ranked pup in the pack. That didn’t keep Hyuna from starting scuffles with her brother though. Often enough, they’d start pulling at each other’s hair until Sunggyu had to separate them. Leo was more focused on following Myungsoo or Sunggyu around, observing them with an intense eagerness to learn.

 

Areum was the last one to shift, almost two weeks after Howon had done it first. Just like her fur was the brightest, her hair was also of the lightest color in the litter. It was dark blond while most of her sibling’s had brown or dark brown hair. She was a bit smaller compared to her other siblings, but Areum had always been the baby of the family. She secretly was Sunggyu’s favorite out of the five, though Myungsoo kept telling him it wasn’t a secret. It was clear as day that the alpha adored the little girl. He often let her sit on his shoulders as he walked around. Her tiny hands would tear at his hair, but Sunggyu always took the pain with a smile. Her joy and excitement over being up high and able to observe everything made him happier than anything else.

 

Having five human toddlers in the house proved to be quite exhausting. They were even more curious than before, crawling around and touching  _everything_. Every single object needed to be felt and, most importantly, put into their mouth. They tried to eat everything they saw and most of the time, the couple just observed them and let them make their own experience. Often enough the cubs only tried to eat something once and then noticed it tasted absolutely horrible.

 

Myungsoo spent more time in the kitchen, cooking human food for the toddlers to eat. Raw meat wasn’t something they could give to the kids and the little ones didn’t make a single try to turn back into their wolf forms. Why would they when there was so much to explore, so many things to do with their new hands and feet?

 

His lover left him alone with them whenever he traveled to town to buy groceries or clothes for them. Being alone with five children was even more exhausting, especially since they had the tendency to not listen to him. They had been much more obedient in their wolf forms. Sunggyu tried to get them to shift once more but the toddlers stayed stubborn. The big advantage of everything was that he was gifted more time until he had to turn Myungsoo into a were. They were both distracted with the kids and the human hadn’t brought it up in weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually it was time to face his fears though.

 

Sunggyu made Myungsoo sit down on the edge of the bed.  “Are you sure? Do you want it to be today? We could do it tomorrow-“

 

“ _Sunggyu_! We’ve already delayed it like 10 times.” Myungsoo cupped his cheeks and pulled him down so their eyes were on the same level. “I’m ready, the cubs are sleeping deeply and it’s not winter outside anymore.”

 

He sighed. “The cubs will resent me forever if something happens to you.”

 

“Nothing will happen, except for my entire being changing, but you know- we will pull through.”

 

Sunggyu hummed. He kissed Myungsoo’s lips. “I love you. No matter what happens, I want you to remember that.”

 

The younger man smiled, although it seemed a little shaky now. “I love you too.”

 

He pulled away and took his clothes off. There was no need to hide or ask for privacy. They had seen each other naked more than enough. He shifted when he was done and Myungsoo buried his hands in his fur with a smile. “I’m ready, Sunggyu.”

 

The alpha whined softly and nudged Myungsoo’s hand with his snout. The human took his pants off. Sunggyu took a deep breath. While many thought you had to bite into the neck to turn a human, any spot usually worked. A werewolf bite either turned or killed a human. Sunggyu didn’t want to leave the scar of the bite where humans would be able to spot it, so Myungsoo and he had decided on his left thigh together. He glanced up at Myungsoo again but the man just nodded in consent.

 

Sunggyu bared his teeth with a low growl. Myungsoo flinched in his spot but didn’t flee. He could smell the fear coming from the human and it almost made him stop, but there was determination in Myungsoo’s eyes that told him to continue. It only took a second in the end. Sunggyu’s head snapped forward and he buried his teeth in the younger man’s thigh. Myungsoo shouted out in pain but then quieted himself with his hand as to not wake the pups. Sunggyu didn’t linger longer than necessary and retracted his teeth again. He licked over the wound and whined apologetically.

 

Myungsoo cried quietly and let his body fall backwards onto the bed. Sunggyu quickly shifted again and grabbed a towel to wrap it around his lover’s thigh to stop the bleeding. The human’s quiet crying made Sunggyu’s heart ache. “ _Ssssh_ , love. I know it hurts. I know.”

 

He crawled onto the bed to embrace Myungsoo’s trembling body. The alpha pulled him against his chest and Myungsoo wrapped his arms around him. Nails scratched his back but Sunggyu didn’t mind it. Myungsoo was going through much more pain. “I told you the bite would hurt but I also told you this is just the start. The werewolf poison takes about 24 hours to overtake your system. It will hurt worse when it tears at your skin, breaks your bones and rearranges them to something else. It will attack your mind when the pain has you weak and writhing, but you have to be strong for me, Myungsoo.”

 

His lover whimpered in pain and he felt the wet traces of tears on his chest. Sunggyu stroked Myungsoo’s hair. “I love you.”

 

Myungsoo just hugged him tighter in return but the alpha didn’t need any words from him right now. He knew that Myungsoo felt the same.

 

 

 

 

 

The next night, the real pain of the turning hit. Sunggyu had to trap Myungsoo on the bed with his body so he wouldn’t hurt himself. The younger man was screaming beneath him, trying to break free by trashing around. Sweat was covering Myungsoo’s body and his eyes were blown wide in fear. Sunggyu’s heart was breaking more with every pained scream that left his lover’s mouth. Fear was reigning in his chest. It looked like Myungsoo was lost in his pain and Sunggyu was scared the human’s mind would be damaged too much by the end of this night. It was possible he would lose his Myungsoo to the wolf.

 

The cubs were awake, unable to sleep with all the screaming and even if he had pushed something in to Myungsoo’s mouth to quiet him, the pups would’ve still known something was wrong. One of their parents was in pain and it had them on the edge as well. Sunggyu didn’t let them come any closer than one meter though. Whenever one of them tried, he growled at them with a real threat hanging in the air. They knew better than to go against his decision right now.

 

Myungsoo reared up beneath him with an almost bestial scream. His gaze was wild, going everywhere but to Sunggyu. “Myungsoo, stay with me, love. Please. Remember me. And the pups. Areum, Jong, Leo, Howon and Hyuna are all waiting for you.”

 

That seemed to get his attention again. Myungsoo clenched his teeth and looked over to the side where the five toddlers were sitting, holding each other while crying in fear for him. Tears filled Myungsoo’s eyes and Sunggyu dropped a kiss on his nose. “That’s right. We’re all here with you. Fight, Myungsoo. Win. You control the wolf, it doesn’t control you.”

 

Myungsoo scrunched up his face in concentration. Sunggyu flinched when he heard a bone break. A clear sign the first shift was starting. Myungsoo screamed in pain once more and Sunggyu knew it wouldn’t get any better. Once Myungsoo had made it through this, shifting would become much easier with every time he tried. Turning a human meant forcing the shift on him, while born werewolves were ready from birth for the burden of a shift.

 

As the human’s body structure changed, the hairs on his arms and legs started to grow thicker and longer. Fur pushed through his skin and it was of a nice, black color like Myungsoo’s hair. Sunggyu barked at the cubs to get into the bathroom and the little toddlers scrambled away on their hands and knees. He didn’t want them in the same room, just in case Myungsoo’s wolf would turn mad and attack anything near it. He really hoped that wouldn’t happen though. Sunggyu wasn’t ready to kill his lover. “You can do it. Accept the change.”

 

Sunggyu let go of him as to not disturb the shift. “I can’t wait to roam through the forest with you by my side. You want that too, don’t you? Come on, Myungsoo.”

 

He shifted into his wolf form as well and howled loudly. Myungsoo whimpered in reply and then his body was shifting quicker. The human disappeared into fur and Sunggyu couldn’t help but feel proud of the beautiful wolf that Myungsoo turned into. With a final scream, his face morphed into that of a wolf. Myungsoo moved immediately once the change was done, jumping up but then tripping over his own impatient paws and tumbling down the bed. Sunggyu jumped down the bed to nudge him.

 

Myungsoo pushed himself up again and ignored him, blindly starting to run towards the door and out of the hut. Sunggyu told the pups to stay in the bathroom with a loud bark and chased after the freshly turned were. It was easy to catch up to Myungsoo because he was still inexperienced when it came to walking on four legs. Every time Sunggyu tried to get close, the wolf snapped at him though and ran away. Myungsoo showed no sign of recognizing him and it made the fear in Sunggyu rise. There was nothing but hostility coming from the other wolf.

 

They ran through the forest for hours, only stopping once when Myungsoo attacked a deer. Although his attack missed finesse or strategy, he had no problems catching and killing the poor animal. He tore at its flesh like a wild beast without sense or reason. It became obvious that he hadn’t killed it to eat its flesh. Sunggyu stuck close when the wolf continued its way but he was beginning to grow more and more worried. He had no real experience with humans getting turned. Was this normal behavior still or had Myungsoo lost to the beast’s mind? Was this still Myungsoo or was Sunggyu chasing a hopeless dream?

 

When the sky turned dark, Sunggyu was torn between continuing to follow Myungsoo or turning back. The cubs were all alone in the hut and they were vulnerable in their human form. He whined quietly, calling out for Myungsoo. The black wolf didn’t turn back even once. Sunggyu stopped walking and waited but the other wolf continued to walk away. He waited and waited but Myungsoo never came back to him. Sunggyu turned away with a heavy heart and ran back to the hut. He howled in pain as the realization of his loss hit him.

 

 

 

 

Days passed in a haze. Sunggyu was heartbroken and every waking, breathing moment reminded him of the person missing in his home. The toddlers had turned back into their wolf forms but he couldn’t find any joy over that. Nothing brought him joy anymore. The world felt so gray and lifeless suddenly. The cubs were devastated as well but they still tried their best to lift Sunggyu’s mood. The alpha wasn’t sure if he could ever recover from the loss. Myungsoo had become an important part of his life; his mate. Sunggyu felt like a coward because he hadn’t killed the wild wolf. What if Myungsoo ran to the next town and killed humans? His Myungsoo wouldn’t have wanted to end up a murderer. Sunggyu spent his nights sleepless, crying quietly and worrying about his lover.

 

 

 

 

It was one morning that he caught a foreign scent in the air when he was resting on the porch. The children were chasing each other in the grass. Sunggyu lifted his head and sniffed the air. Someone else was close. Someone-

 

He jumped up and ran towards the forest. Bushes rustled as something quickly fled the scene. Sunggyu stopped where the other animal had been hiding and sniffed the ground. His heart stopped for a second.  _Myungsoo. Myungsoo was here. No, was it Myungsoo or the beast?_  Sunggyu whined. He howled out loud, hoping to receive a reply from his lover. He was torn between joy and fear. What had returned to him? If it was Myungsoo, why had he run away?

 

 

 

 

The next day, the scent returned again. This time Sunggyu didn’t approach Myungsoo. He wanted to confront the black wolf but he knew it would simply run away again. Hope was beginning to grow again in his chest. A wild beast wouldn’t observe them quietly like that. It would jump out of the bushes and try to attack the pups, who’d be no challenge for it. But the black wolf didn’t attack. It just seemed to observe them. Sunggyu told himself to be patient but it was hard. He was missing Myungsoo so badly.

 

Sunggyu waited in his human form the next time. The cubs were playing in their human form inside the house. He felt Myungsoo’s presence nearby. “I know you’re here, Myungsoo. Are you my Myungsoo still? I miss you so much.”

 

Silence was all he got in return. “I thought I’d lost you forever but you’re back. Can I hope, Myung? Have you returned to me?”

 

There was nothing else to do so Sunggyu continued talking. “The past weeks were hard. I blamed myself for what happened. I couldn’t sleep because I thought about the horrible things the beast is doing. The beast, not you. I know you would never hurt a single soul, Myungsoo, and it broke my heart every single minute to know I had turned you into a monster.”

 

Tears rolled down his cheeks and the alpha sobbed. “I miss you so much, Myungsoo. I can’t do this without you. The pups were the only reason I didn’t choose to die.”

 

Bushes rustled and he looked up again. The black wolf didn’t step out of its hiding place fully. Sunggyu’s heart clenched. He reached out with his hands. “Myungsoo love, come here.”

 

The wolf took two steps forward again and hesitated. Sunggyu slowly stood up and took a step towards him. “If that’s you in there, Myungsoo, please come back to us.”

 

The black wolf set back his ears and whined. A blurry picture appeared in Sunggyu’s mind, almost too distorted to make sense. But he saw blood, dead animals and he felt Myungsoo’s fear and guilt. “No matter what you did, we still love you. It wasn’t your fault. Come back to us. We will help you.”

 

Myungsoo took a few more slow steps before he broke out into a run. Sunggyu fell down his knees and held his arms open for the wolf. He knew it would be easy for the other wolf to kill him now, but he knew this was no beast. This was his Myungsoo; very scared and confused, but it was Myungsoo. The black wolf crashed into him and Sunggyu wrapped his arms around its shaking body. Myungsoo howled and rubbed his head against Sunggyu’s chest and face. Waves of emotions crashed against Sunggyu’s mind and he felt new tears welling up in his eyes. How could he have let Myungsoo go in the first place? He shouldn’t have left him alone with this mess. Sunggyu had moped around at home while Myungsoo had tried to fight the beast all alone.

 

“I’m sorry, love. I’m so sorry.” Sunggyu hugged him tightly. “Thank you for coming back to me.”

 

“DA!”  
  
“Myung-da!”

 

He turned his head and saw the kids stumbling towards them. They kept falling over their little feet on the way but it didn’t stop them from running to Myungsoo. They shifted on the way and Sunggyu let go of Myungsoo’s wolf, so he could greet the cubs. The pups were beyond happy and showed it with their whole bodies. Myungsoo seemed more hesitant to show his love and happiness, but who could resist the little ones for long? Sunggyu shifted as well and joined his family. He playfully tackled Myungsoo to make him fall and then the pups and Sunggyu were all over him.

 

Sunggyu could feel Myungsoo giving in and becoming less tense. He figured that this was something the human in Myungsoo had needed badly – the warmth and love of his family. The alpha breathed in the scent of his mate and noticed that Myungsoo had the typical scent of a beta now. Sunggyu licked over the black wolf’s snout.  _I’ll never let you go again._

 

Hours later, the pups fell asleep from exhaustion. Sunggyu carried them all inside and then joined Myungsoo on the porch again. The other man was still in his wolf form, the head on his paws as he looked towards the forest. Sunggyu sat down next to him and ran a hand through the dark fur. “Don’t you feel like turning back, Myungsoo? Your wolf is beautiful but I wish I could talk to you.”

 

The wolf whimpered. Sunggyu kept stroking Myungsoo’s pelt. “Myungsoo...have you ever changed back since the first shift? Tell me you did.”

 

Myungsoo whined quietly and then shook his head. The alpha’s chest tightened. “You’ve been in your wolf form all this time?”

 

Another nod. Sunggyu stared at the black wolf. Staying so long in his wolf form right after the first shift was surely not good for Myungsoo. How had he stayed sane for so long? Sunggyu should’ve been there to help him through this, to show him how to shift back into human form, but he had abandoned Myungsoo out there. He imagined how scared Myungsoo had probably been when he had become aware of his surroundings again. Sunggyu imagined him all alone in the forest, probably next to some dead animal, looking around in confusion and calling out to Sunggyu with helpless howls. He buried his face in Myungsoo’s fur and hugged him tightly.

 

“I’ve failed you, Myung. Can you forgive me?”

 

The wolf moved in his arms and Sunggyu felt a tongue licking over his arm. He turned his head and smiled sadly. “I don’t deserve you. So strong and kind... How did you win against the beast?”

 

Myungsoo sent him a picture, a memory from the time their little family had played in the river. Sunggyu smiled. “Just like you said back then...you clung to our family. You’re amazing, Myungsoo.”

 

His lover whined in reply and then howled. Myungsoo wanted to change back. “I’ll help you. Don’t worry. You’re not stuck like this.”

 

Sunggyu pulled away and cupped Myungsoo’s face. “Concentrate on your human self. Blend out everything else. Remember how you walked on two legs, how you grabbed things with your hands. Picture yourself holding me, talking to me.”

 

Myungsoo was probably not aware of it but while Sunggyu listed all those human things, he changed without making a sound. The younger man gasped when he noticed he had hands again. Myungsoo lifted his hands and stared at them, wriggling his fingers before he laughed in joy. He looked at Sunggyu and reached out to touch the alpha’s face. Tears filled Myungsoo’s eyes and he threw his arms around Sunggyu’s neck. He embraced his lover and dropped kisses on Myungsoo’s shoulder and neck.

 

“You’re back home, love.”

 

“I-  _oh god_ -“ Myungsoo sobbed. “I thought I’d never turn human again. I tried once but it didn’t work and then I got so scared. I thought it would hurt again but I just changed and I... I didn’t even notice it.”

 

“It probably didn’t work because you tried too hard and were scared of the pain. Shifting back is not about force. You just think about being human again and let go of your wolf self. When you change without force, it usually doesn’t hurt.”

 

Myungsoo hummed. “I don’t blame you, by the way.”

 

Sunggyu looked at him in confusion. The younger man sat up straight again. “That you left me alone. To be honest, the first hours after the shift are a blur. I remember the pain and you holding me down, but the next thing I knew I was in a place I didn’t know. I had the taste of blood in my mouth and I tried to call for you, but only howls and yips came out of my mouth. That’s when I noticed I was a wolf. I was scared of course, but while I was freaking out I remembered bits and pieces. Like when I was growling at you and trying to bite you. I remembered how I had really wanted to kill you every time you approached me, so I was even more afraid. I thought I might’ve killed or hurt you or the cubs. I thought there had to be a reason you weren’t there. Maybe I was a monster who deserved to be alone... That’s why I hesitated to go back, even after I regained control. I was scared that even if you’d take me back, I might just lose control of the wolf again and really fuck up. So I stayed away...”

 

He cupped his lover’s face. “You’d never hurt us. The beast was hostile and dangerous but I think you had enough control to keep it from attacking us. Back when I let you go, I never thought you were still in there and that was my mistake. I should’ve tried harder to bring you back. Then you wouldn’t have blamed yourself for so long.”

 

Myungsoo smiled shortly. “I don’t blame you, Sunggyu. Maybe the time away wasn’t all bad. I learned a lot of things about being a wolf and I feel more in control now. The wish to return to my family kept me sane. I think I love you guys even more than before.”

 

“I’ll never let you go again, Myungsoo. Being apart was the worst thing that ever happened to me.” Sunggyu stroked his lover’s cheek. “I love you too.”

 

“Nothing can make me leave again.” The younger man leaned forward and their lips touched again. Sunggyu felt the old spark and the kiss quickly grew deeper. It wasn’t just Myungsoo who had returned home. The alpha also felt home again.

 

 

 

 

Life returned to the way it was, except that it felt even better now that Myungsoo was a were as well. The young man was learning quickly when it came to shifting or hunting. Sunggyu loved the afternoons they spent hunting together in the forest. His wolf felt happy to have a mate to run with. Myungsoo never hid away to cry again and Sunggyu never saw that empty, sad look on his face again. Things were perfect and there was nothing he ever wanted to change. The cubs were growing constantly as the days and weeks passed. Sunggyu knew that one day they were going to leave and the alpha wasn’t going to stop them. When they reached adulthood, they’d long for their own pack and Sunggyu would let them go. It would be hard and he would worry, but Sunggyu would still have Myungsoo by his side at least.

 


End file.
